Day 455 83,000 Bq/m2 outside a jr hi in Koriyama

Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda has stressed the need to reactivate two idled reactors at the Oi Nuclear Power Plant in Fukui Prefecture despite the fact that the investigations into the crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant are still under way.

Governor of Niigata Blasts Noda Over Ooi Restart, Accuses Him of Taking the “People’s Living” Hostage as Researchers Warns of Active Fault Under Ooi Nuke Plant

Despite having several major municipalities within the prefecture very eager to accept disaster debris in defiance of him, Hirohiko Izumida, Governor of Niigata Prefecture, is not about to cease his attack on the nuclear policy of the national government.

After Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda declared on June 8 that he would restart Ooi Nuclear Power Plant in Fukui Prefecture to “protect the people’s living”, Governor Izumida issued his statement lambasting the prime minister.

4000 People Protested in Front of PM Official Residence Against Ooi Nuke Plant Restart, Governor of Fukui Is “Satisfied”

That’s the largest crowd so far, protesting in front of the Prime Minister’s Official Residence.It looks to be a combination of long-time anti-nuclear activist organizations and ordinary citizens. Unlike the protests that take place there regularly these days, the one last night (June 8, 2012) was covered by the MSMs including Mainichi, Asahi, NHK, Kyodo News and AP, and not so MSM Tokyo Shinbun, according to one tweet. Another tweet says there were also Reuters and “Red Flag” – official party newspaper of the Japan Communist Party who has been vigorously covering the nuclear accident, resultant contamination, and Japan’s nuclear policies since the accident.

Levels taken aournd elementary and junior high schools in Koriyama, Fukushima. Video June 2, 2012.

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Japan Tsunami Debris: US Braces For ‘Environmental Disaster’

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — More than a year after a tsunami devastated Japan, killing thousands of people and washing millions of tons of debris into the Pacific Ocean, the U.S. government and West Coast states don’t have a cohesive plan for cleaning up the rubble that floats to American shores.

There is also no firm handle yet on just what to expect.

The Japanese government estimates that 1.5 million tons of debris is floating in the ocean from the catastrophe. Some experts in the United States think the bulk of that trash will never reach shore, while others fear a massive, slowly-unfolding environmental disaster.

“I think this is far worse than any oil spill that we’ve ever faced on the West Coast or any other environmental disaster we’ve faced on the West Coast” in terms of the debris’ weight, type and geographic scope, said Chris Pallister, president of a group dedicated to cleaning marine debris from the Alaska coastline.

Mori Trust to build huge solar plant in Fukushima

Major realtor Mori Trust Co. announced Thursday that it will build a massive solar plant in the village of Izumizaki, Fukushima Prefecture, and bring it online in fiscal 2013.

The plant will have an annual output of 10 million kwh, enough to power some 3,000 households in Tohoku — making it one of the region’s largest solar energy facilities.

The power station will be built on the 148-hectare Laforet Shirakawa golf course, which suspended operations after the March 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster started, and a total of ¥4 billion will be invested in the site, the company said.

Mori Trust plans to generate an initial output of 2,000 kw in summer 2013 and crank out an additional 8,000 kw during the second phase of operations. All the electricity will be sold to Tohoku Electric Power Co.

Softbank Corp., Mitsui & Co., Sharp Corp. and Kyocera Corp. have also announced plans recently to start mega-solar businesses, in anticipation of a government program that will take effect in July and oblige utilities to purchase all electricity generated through renewable energies.